Collocations for tear1 - noun
ADJ.
angry, bitter, emotional
There were angry tears in Lily''s eyes.
There were angry tears in Lily''s eyes.
burning, fresh, hot, salty, scalding
Her eyes were blinded by scalding tears.
Her eyes were blinded by scalding tears.
genuine, real | crocodile
(figurative) (= insincere) They weep crocodile tears for the poor and disadvantaged but are basically happy with things as they are.
(figurative) (= insincere) They weep crocodile tears for the poor and disadvantaged but are basically happy with things as they are.
great, huge, large | single, solitary | silent | helpless, sudden, uncontrollable | unshed
His eyes were bright with unshed tears.
His eyes were bright with unshed tears.
VERB + TEAR
cry, shed, weep
She wept silent tears when she heard his name. | (figurative) I won''t shed any tears when Frank retires.
She wept silent tears when she heard his name. | (figurative) I won''t shed any tears when Frank retires.
dry, wipe (away)
I picked the little girl up and helped dry her tears. | She wiped a tear from her eye.
I picked the little girl up and helped dry her tears. | She wiped a tear from her eye.
blink/choke/fight/hold back
He had to fight back tears of frustration.
He had to fight back tears of frustration.
break down in, burst into
She broke down in tears in court.
She broke down in tears in court.
move/reduce sb to
His father''s angry shouting reduced the little boy to tears.
His father''s angry shouting reduced the little boy to tears.
brim/fill with
His eyes filled with sudden tears.
His eyes filled with sudden tears.
end in
(figurative) (= to have an unhappy result)
(figurative) (= to have an unhappy result)
TEAR + VERB
appear, brim in your eyes, brim over, come, fill your eyes, form, gather, spring into/to your eyes, start, well (up)
Her tears brimmed over and fell on her cheek. | He could never read the letter without tears coming to his eyes.
Her tears brimmed over and fell on her cheek. | He could never read the letter without tears coming to his eyes.
course/pour/roll/run/slide/trickle down sth, drip into/onto sth, fall, flow, overflow, stream
A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek.
A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek.
stand
Tears stood in Oliver''s eyes.
Tears stood in Oliver''s eyes.
blur sth, cloud sth
Tears blurred his vision.
Tears blurred his vision.
burn (sth), prick (at/in) sth, sting your eyes
She felt tears pricking her eyelids.
She felt tears pricking her eyelids.
dry (up)
PREP.
in ~s
He came to me in tears.
He came to me in tears.
through your ~s
She tried to smile through her tears.
She tried to smile through her tears.
~ for
He shed no tears for his lost youth.
He shed no tears for his lost youth.
~ of
tears of happiness
tears of happiness
~ over
It turned out to be a lot of tears over nothing.
It turned out to be a lot of tears over nothing.
PHRASES
bring tears to your eyes
It brings tears to your eyes to see the children having such fun.
It brings tears to your eyes to see the children having such fun.
close/near to tears
More than once I came near to tears.
More than once I came near to tears.
a flood/floods of tears
We were in floods of tears at the end of the film.
We were in floods of tears at the end of the film.
a mist of tears
I saw it all through a mist of tears.
I saw it all through a mist of tears.
on the verge of tears, tears in your eyes, too deep for tears
There are times when suffering may be too deep for tears.
There are times when suffering may be too deep for tears.